An easy way to make sure you can find something meaningful to give your loved ones this year is to skip the big-box stores and focus on local.
Shopping local this year will have a direct impact on independent stores and the Queen City economy you can make a difference just by wielding your purchasing power. The U.S Small Business Administration says that for every $100 you spend at an independent business, $48 of that is recirculated back into the local economy. Whereas if you spend $100 at a national retailer, only $14 stays local.
So here is a list of Greater Cincinnati shops. It is not comprehensive. There are many, many more local boutiques than are listed here. Please view this as a starting point a bit of inspiration to explore and acknowledge the breadth of what our friends, neighbors and local shopkeepers have to offer before you hit the "buy now" button on Amazon.